We have so many choices we can make. I remember years ago when I watched a couple movies with George Burns in them called “Oh God”. I still remember the Angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other shoulder. One telling him to do good, the other trying to convince him to do bad things. Some things are obviously wrong, bad, evil. Some things are obviously right, good and Godly. There are so many examples in the word of God. Take for instance the ten commandments.
Exodus 20:3-17
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
So, this is the example from God’s word how we should do most things or not do. How many times have you heard the phrase, “the devil made me do it”? Many times, I am sure. Well, that’s bologna. We have our own free will. The devil is out to kill, steal, and destroy.
John 10:10
10 The thief comes not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life and might have [it] abundantly.
So, I am not saying that the devil does not influence that bad decision that is made, because he is constantly trying to tell us the wrong way. But the Lord will always give us the way out.
1Cor 10:13
13 There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
God’s plan for us and his will for us is in the Bible and His word will guide you if you live by it and be obedient to it. He gives a way of escape and God also gives us perfect direction. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and his perfect examples.
So, with that we are constantly tempted to do the wrong things, but God gives us that way out. Being that the devil tempts us and God gives us the way out we are left with the decision to choose (free will). The devil gives you an idea and God gives you an idea. The choice (control) is yours. We are always ultimately in the driver’s seat so when we slip over to the passenger’s seat who do you let drive? Do we let God take the wheel or do we let the devil behind the wheel to steal?
Something to think about next time you are about to make a bad decision is this; the chain of events of what happens after a ball is thrown. The devil said you have thrown this many times and struck out, but many people just throw it. God says don’t do it, do not throw it because I can see what is going to happen. Just wait 30 seconds and then throw the ball. You decide to give it everything you have and let it go anyway, and it goes foul way right. A little one is running in the aisle and does not pay any attention to where the ball is and now you see what the consequences are but it’s too late. The ball is going to hit them. We have the control to let God be in control or the enemy. Let’s give control back to where it belongs the Lord God Almighty.
The hardest thing is to get back on track once we give control to the devil. When turn away from God, we cannot see him. We have our back turned on him we can only see our sinful ideas and the devils destruction. Turn to God and the more you look to him and the more you have your back turned to the devil the better. In the end God is in control and he wins!
The real question is, whose side do you want to be on in the end?
Love yall take care God bless,
Pastor Kent Furch
Northwood Church Springfield